[skinupthen]

Hi all ive been a member of the forum for some time since i got my 1/2 plot in oct last year. Im a friend of morewhiskey who is a regular here. Ive been an avid reader of the posts on here but now the planting time is upon us get ready for a multitude of questions from me.

I am planning on growing peas and french beans on cane wigwams and am wondering how many plants can grow up each cane. I was originally just going to put one plant at the foot of each cane but have been reading some info that recommended 2-3 plants per cane.

Any help appreciated

Rob

[Sweet Pea 2]

I  did two on each cane for my French beans last year.  I used netting for peas  as you need so many plants so get anythng near a decent crop.

[Jonajo]

I did a wigwam, each of 8 canes, and sowed 4 peas around the base of each. Got a very good crop despite some bug infestation which I hope to avoid this year.

[mumofstig]

I usually plant 2/3 

Are you growing the very tall peas? cos the low growing ones only need some strings stretched between posts. For peas you need 2 or 3 peas for every couple of inches along the row in order to get a decent crop.

[Dave f]

I grew climbing french beans last year and only put one plant per cane as I didn't know any better!  Got a superb crop so will probablyn do the same this year.

[Yorkie]

Welcome to the forums skinupthen, are you on the same lotty site as MW? 

I grew peas in rows, supported by string on canes (someone else will hopefully find the link to the method, promoted by member called DD.)

On wigwams I wouldn't plant more than 2 plants per cane, simply so that I can still see the beans to pick underneath all that foliage!

[jdwmk]

Hi,
Yorkie, I have found the link you referred to.
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=16033.0

Basically canes with string tied between them at different levels. I grew dwarf peas last year on a small wigwam in an 18" tub, but they didn't do too well. Planted out a 5 ft row this weekend up the allotment and I was going to use some of the twigs that people have thrown on the communal waste area, but think I may go for DD's method instead.

I was also surprised that although Peas can be sown an inch or so apart in a row, the packet says to leave 30 inches between rows! That seems excessive to me. Is there anything you can grow between them?

Jeff

[Yorkie]

They do generally say to leave the height of the peas between the rows.  I didn't do that last year and don't know whether they suffered significantly - though it was quite difficult to stoop down to pick the lower pods, even with about 18 - 24" between the rows !

[peapod]

Pea thread in Growing Stickies - its a good place for info 

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=50902.0

[bigben]

My slugs seem to love french beans so I tend to have to plant twice what I want to grow so they dont all get destroyed. So I plant 4 to a cane and expect to lose one or two. This is as well as using pellets.

[Swing Swang]

4 - one for the raven, one for the crow, one to rot and one to grow!

[Swing Swang]

In practice I plant 2-3 per cane, and depending on how many come up plant 1-2 about a month later so 3 grow up in total and the second plantings give a second 'flush'.

SS

[Swing Swang]

This applies to beans only. For peas I plant 5cm apart (edit - in a double row) and don't worry how many get to each cane/peastick. My guess is that my pea canes are 23cm apart (the width of two of my boots), so that makes for about 4-5 peas per cane.

SS

[Trikidiki]

They do generally say to leave the height of the peas between the rows.  I didn't do that last year and don't know whether they suffered significantly - though it was quite difficult to stoop down to pick the lower pods, even with about 18 - 24" between the rows !

I wonder why they suggest leaving 30"!!

[Tykelad]

Hi guys, i am new to all this and after reading all the posts, its all confusing !
Are there pictures/photo's anywhere showing wigwams etc ? I have raised beds (3m X 1.5m X 18inch) and have sown some peas in small pots in my spare bedroom. They are about 4inch's high now and will want transplanting into the raised beds. I am sure i will need to think about cains/wigwams/string between posts etc. I am very excited and terriified it will all go wrong at the same time !!

Thanx